Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
| Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China) | ||
| 挪威脊背龙——诺伯 Nuówēi jǐbèi lóng — Nuòbó |
挪威
Nuówēi = 'Norway'. 脊背 jǐbèi = '(ridge)back'. 龙 lóng = 'dragon'. 诺伯 Nuòbó = 'Norbert'. |
Norbert — the Norwegian Ridgebacked Dragon |
| Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan) | ||
| 挪威脊背龍蘿蔔 Nuówēi jǐbèi lóng Luóbo |
挪威
Nuówēi = 'Norway'. 脊背 jǐbèi = '(ridge)back'. 龍 lóng = 'dragon'. 蘿蔔 Luóbo = 'radish'. |
Radish (Norbert) the Norwegian Ridgebacked Dragon |
| Japanese | ||
| ノルウェー・ドラゴンのノーバート Noruwei doragon no Nōbāto |
ノルウェー
Noruwei = 'Norway'. ドラゴン doragon = 'dragon' (English). の no = connecting particle ノーバート Nōbāto = 'Norbert'. |
Norbert the Norwegian Dragon |
| Korean | ||
| 해그리드의 새끼 용 노버트 Haegeulideu-ui saekki yong Nobeoteu |
해그리드 Haegeulideu 의 -ui = connecting particle (possessive). 새끼 sakki 'cub, pup, young'. 용(龍) yong = 'dragon'. 노버트 Nobeoteu = 'Norbert'. |
Hagrid's dragon cub, Norbert |
| Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology) | ||
| Trứng rồng đen | trứng = 'egg'. rồng = 'dragon'. đen = 'black'. |
The Black Dragon's Egg |
| Mongolian (previous) | ||
| Норберт хэмээх Норвэги луу Norbert khemeekh Norvegi luu |
Норберт Norbert = 'Norbert'. хэмээх khemeekh = 'called'. Норвеги Norvegi = 'Norway'. луу luu = 'dragon'. |
Norway Dragon Called Norbert |
| Mongolian (new) | ||
| Норвегийн бөгтөр луу Norvegiin bögtör luu |
Норвеги Norvegi = 'Norway'. (-ийн -iin Genitive form Норвегийн Norvegiin 'of Norway, Norwegian'.) бөгтөр bögtör = 'stooped, hunchbacked'. луу luu = 'dragon'. |
The Norwegian Hunchbacked Dragon |
Norbert is Hagrid's pet dragon, belonging to the Norwegian Ridgeback breed.
There is a certain amount of idiosyncratic variation in the translation of this title. All translators translate 'dragon'. However, some omit 'Norbert' and others omit 'Ridgeback'. In addition, some translations use extra or alternative expressions.
How are 'dragons' treated in translation?
The Oriental dragon is traditionally (with occasional exceptions) a magnificent mythical creature of good omen associated with water. It is nothing like the evil, fire-breathing dragon of the West. Unfortunately, the word 'dragon' is now conventionally used to describe both the Oriental and Occidental dragons. All translations bar the Japanese use the traditional name of the Oriental dragon, which in all cases is derived from Chinese 龍 (Trad.) / 龙 (Simpl.) lóng.
- Both Chinese versions use the Chinese word for an (Oriental) dragon, 龍 (Trad.) / 龙 (Simpl.) lóng.
- The Korean translation uses the term 용 yong, referring to an Oriental dragon.
- The Mongolian translations also use the term for an Oriental dragon, луу luu.
- The Vietnamese translator reportedly baulked at using the word rồng,
but eventually compromised by including a note to say that the Western dragon
was different from the Vietnamese one (this note can be found at the back of issue no. 6 of the Vietnamese version).
- Only the Japanese translator came up with a different solution. Instead of using the Japanese word for 'dragon', which is 竜 ryū, she used the word ドラゴン doragon, from English. Although ドラゴン doragon can also be used for Oriental dragons (Bruce Lee's 'Enter the Dragon' is known in Japanese as 燃えろドラゴン！ Moero doragon! 'Burn Dragon!'), this device nevertheless helps set Harry Potter's dragons apart from the traditional Oriental kind. This solution is not available in Chinese because it is not comfortable borrowing words from English.
How is 'Norwegian Ridgeback' translated?
Not all translators use the term 'Norwegian ridgeback' in the title.
- The Chinese translators use the term 挪威脊背 Nuówēi jǐbèi, where 脊 jǐ can be understood as 'ridge'. (However, 脊 jǐ also means 'spine (of the back)'.)
- The newer Mongolian translation uses the term Норвегийн бөгтөр Norvegiin bögtör meaning 'Norwegian stooped, hunchbacked' in the chapter title. In the chapter it is spelt out in full as Норвегийн бөгтөр нуруут луу Norvegiin bögtör nuruut luu 'Norwegian hunchback backed dragon'.
- The Japanese translation uses ノルウェー・ドラゴン doragon in the title. In the text of the chapter, 'Norwegian Ridgeback' is given as ノルウェー・リッジバック Noruwee rijjibakku 'Norway ridgeback'.
- The older Mongolian translation uses Норвэги луу 'Norway dragon' both in the chapter title and in the body of the chapter itself.
- In the chapter title, the Vietnamese translator refers to the black dragon's egg Hagrid had in his fireplace: Trứng rồng đen 'black dragon egg'. Within the chapter it appears to be called rồng lưng gai Na Uy 'Norwegian spine-backed dragon'.
- The Korean chapter title refers to Norbert as 새끼 용 saekki yong 'dragon cub'.
How is 'Norbert' transliterated?
'Norbert' is a somewhat humorous name that stands in an alliterative relationship with 'Norway'.
- The Taiwanese version gives Norbert the humorous name of 蘿蔔 Luóbo,
meaning 'Radish'. Luóbo is more likely to be accepted by South Chinese and Taiwanese speakers as people
from many of these areas have a habit of mixing up their n's and l's.
- The Mainland
version renders Norbert's name as 诺伯 Nuòbó, using the correct pronunciation of 'n'.
But the Mainland translator is clearly just tinkering with the Taiwanese version. A proper transliteration according to Mainland standards would reflect the final 't' sound, e.g. 诺伯特 Nuòbótè. In effect, the Mainland translator has only partially corrected the pronunciation but completely lost the humour.
- The Japanese uses the standard transliteration ノーバート Nōbāto. The construction ノルウェー・ドラゴンのノーバート Noruwei doragon no Nōbāto is similar
to the familiar 熊のプーさん Kuma no Pū-san ('Pooh
Bear').
- 노버트 Nobeoteu is the standard Korean transliteration of 'Norbert'.
- The earlier Mongolian translation puts 'Norbert' in the title, transliterating it as 'Norbert' Норберт Norbert. Unlike the CJKV languages shown here, Mongolian is accustomed to rolling (trilling) the two 'r's in 'Norbert'.
The construction used is similar to a relative clause, with the verb хэмээх khemeekh 'be called, known as' modifying Норвэги луу Norvegi luu 'Norwegian dragon'. Literally it means 'Norwegian dragon which is called Norbert. - The Vietnamese and newer Mongolian translations omit the name 'Norbert' from the title, although it appears in the chapter (Norbert and Норберт Norbert).
(Korean appears thanks to "Hiro".)
(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)
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